Fungicidal mixtures

ABSTRACT

A fungicidal mixture comprises a) an oxime ether carboxamide of the formula I ##STR1##  where R is hydrogen or halogen and either 
     b.1 the oxime ether carboxylate of the formula IIa, ##STR2## b.2 the oxime ether carboxamide of the formula IIb ##STR3## or b.3 the methoxyacrylate of the formula IIc ##STR4##  in a synergistically active amount.

This application is a 371 of PCT/EP96/03359, filed Jul. 31, 1996.

The present invention relates to a fungicidal mixture which comprises

a) an oxime ether carboxamide of the formula I ##STR5## where R is hydrogen or halogen and either

b.1 the oxime ether carboxylate of the formula IIa, ##STR6## b.2 the oxime ether carboxamide of the formula IIb ##STR7## or b.3 the methoxyacrylate of the formula IIc ##STR8## in a synergistically active amount.

Moreover, the invention relates to methods of controlling harmful fungi using mixtures of the compounds I and II and to the use of the compounds I, and of the compounds II, for the preparation of such mixtures.

The compounds of the formula I, their preparation and their action against harmful fungi are disclosed in the literature (WO-A 95/18,789). Also disclosed are the compounds IIa (EP-A 253 213), IIb (EP-A 477 631) and the compound IIc (EP-A 382 375), their preparation, and their action against harmful fungi.

It was an object of the present invention to provide mixtures which have an improved action against harmful fungi combined with a reduced total amount of active ingredients applied (synergistic mixtures), with a view to reducing the rates of application and to improving the spectrum of action of the known compounds.

Accordingly, we have found that this object is achieved by the mixtures defined at the outset. Moreover, we have found that better control of the harmful fungi is possible by applying the compounds I and the compounds II simultaneously together or separately or by applying the compounds I and the compounds II in succession than when the individual compounds are used.

R in formula I is hydrogen or a halogen atom such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, especially hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine, in particular hydrogen or fluorine.

In relation to the C═N double bonds, the compounds of the formulae I and II can be present in the E or the Z configuration (in relation to the groups carboxylic acid function). Accordingly, they can be used in the mixture according to the invention in each case either in the form of the pure E or Z isomers or else in the form of an E/Z isomer mixture. The E/Z isomer mixture or the E isomer is preferably used, the E isomer being especially preferred.

Due to the basic character of the NH group, the compounds I are capable of forming adducts or salts with inorganic or organic acids or with metal ions.

The C═N double bonds of the oxime ether groups in the side chain of the compounds I can exist in each case in the form of pure E or Z isomers or in the form of E/Z isomer mixtures. The compounds I can be used in the mixtures according to the invention as isomer mixtures or else as the pure isomers. With a view to their use, compounds I which are particularly preferred are those where both oxime ether groups in the side chain are in the E configuration (E/E).

Examples of inorganic acids are hydrohalic acids such as hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid and hydriodic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and nitric acid.

Suitable organic acids are, for example, formic acid, carbonic acid and alkanoic acids, such as acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid and propionic acid, and also glycolic acid, thiocyanic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, oxalic acid, alkylsulfonic acids (sulfonic acids having straight-chain or branched alkyl radicals of 1 to 20 carbon atoms), arylsulfonic acids or aryldisulfonic acids (aromatic radicals, such as phenyl and naphthyl, which have attached to them one or two sulfo groups), alkylphosphonic acids (phosphonic acids having straight-chain or branched alkyl radicals of 1 to 20 carbon atoms), arylphosphonic acids or aryldiphosphonic acids (aromatic radicals, such as phenyl and naphthyl, which have attached to them one or two phosphoric acid radicals), it being possible for the alkyl or aryl radicals to have attached to them further substituents, eg. p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicylic acid, p-aminosalicylic acid, 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid etc.

Suitable metal ions are, in particular, the ions of the elements of the second main group, in particular calcium and magnesium, of the third and fourth main group, in particular aluminum, tin and lead, and of the first to eighth sub-group, in particular chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and others. Especially preferred are the metal ions of the elements of the sub-groups of the fourth period. The metals can exist in the various valencies which they can assume.

When preparing the mixtures, it is preferred to employ the pure active ingredients I and II, with which further active ingredients against harmful fungi or other pests, such as insects, arachnids or nematodes, or else herbicidal or growth-regulating active ingredients or fertilizers can be admixed, if so required.

The mixtures of the compounds I and II, or the simultaneous joint or separate use of the compounds I and II, are distinguished by outstanding action against a wide spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi, in particular from the classes of the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. Some of them act systemically and can therefore be employed as foliar- and soil-acting fungicides.

They are especially important for controlling a large number of fungi in a variety of crop plants, such as cotton, vegetable species (eg. cucumbers, beans and cucurbits), barley, grass, oats, coffee, maize, fruit species, rice, rye, soya, grapevine, wheat, ornamentals, sugar cane, and a variety of seeds.

They are particularly suitable for controlling the following phytopathogenic fungi: Erysiphe graminis (powdery mildew) in cereals, Erysiphe cichoracearum and Sphaerotheca fuliginea in cucurbits, Podosphaera leucotricha in apples, Uncinula necator in grapevines, Puccinia species in cereals, Rhizoctonia species in cotton, rice and lawns, Ustilago species in cereals and sugar cane, Venturia inaequalis (scab) in apples, Helminthosporium species in cereals, Rhynosporium Secalis, Septoria nodorum in wheat, Botrytis cinera (gray mold) in strawberries and grapevines, Cercospora arachidicola in groundnuts, Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides in wheat and barley, Pyricularia oryzae in rice, Phytophthora infestans in potatoes and tomatoes, Plasmopara viticola in grapevines, Alternaria species in vegetables and fruit, and Fusarium and Verticillium species.

Furthermore, they can be used in the protection of materials (eg. in the protection of wood), for example against Paecilomyces variotii.

The compounds I and II can be applied simultaneously together or separately or in succession, the sequence, in the case of separate application, generally not having any effect on the result of the control measures.

The compounds I and II are usually used in a weight ratio of 10:1 to 0.1:1, preferably 5:1 to 0.2:1, in particular 3:1 to 0.3:1.

The application rates in the mixtures according to the invention are from 0.02 to 1 kg/ha, preferably 0.05 to 1 kg/ha, in particular 0.1 to 0.8 kg/ha, depending on the nature of the desired effect. In the case of the compounds I, the application rates are from 0.005 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular 0.005 to 0.3 kg/ha, preferably 0.005 to 0.3 kg/ha. Correspondingly, in the case of the compounds II, the application rates are from 0.01 to 0.5 kg/ha, preferably 0.01 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular 0.01 to 0.3 kg/ha. For seed treatment, the application rates of the mixture are generally from 0.001 to 50 g/kg of seed, preferably 0.01 to 10 g/kg, in particular 0.01 to 5 g/kg.

If phytopathogenic harmful fungi are to be controlled, the separate or joint application of the compounds I [lacuna] or of the mixtures of the compounds I and II is effected by spraying or dusting the seeds, the plants or the soils before or after sowing of the plants, or before or after plant emergence.

The fungicidal synergistic mixtures according to the invention, or the compounds I and II, can be formulated for example in the form of ready-to-spray solutions, powders and suspensions or in the form of highly concentrated aqueous, oily or other suspensions, dispersions, emulsions, oil dispersions, pastes, dusts, materials for spreading or granules, and applied by spraying, atomizing, dusting, spreading or pouring. The use form depends on the intended purpose; in any case, it should guarantee as fine and uniform as possible a distribution of the mixture according to the invention.

The formulations are prepared in a manner known per se, eg. by adding solvents and/or carriers. It is usual to admix inert additives, such as emulsifiers or dispersants, with the formulations.

Suitable surfactants are the alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts and ammonium salts of aromatic sulfonic acids, eg. ligno-, phenol-, naphthalene- and dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, and of fatty acids, alkyl- and alkylarylsulfonates, alkyl, lauryl ether and fatty alcohol sulfates, and salts of sulfated hexa-, hepta- and octadecanols, or of fatty alcohol glycol ethers, condensates of sulfonated naphthalene and its derivatives with formaldehyde, condensates of naphthalene or of the naphthalenesulfonic acids with phenol and formaldehyde, polyoxyethylene octylphenol ether, ethoxylated isooctyl-, octyl- or nonylphenol, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, tributylphenyl polyglycol ethers, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, isotridecyl alcohol, fatty alcohol/ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers or polyoxypropylene, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether acetate, sorbitol esters, lignosulfite waste liquors or methylcellulose.

Powders, materials for spreading and dusts can be prepared by mixing or jointly grinding the compounds I or II or the mixture of the compounds I and II with a solid carrier.

Granules (eg. coated granules, impregnated granules or homogeneous granules) are usually prepared by binding the active ingredient, or active ingredients, to a solid carrier.

Fillers or solid carriers are, for example, mineral earths, such as silica gel, silicas, silica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground synthetic materials, and fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ureas, and products of vegetable origin, such as cereal meal, tree bark meal, wood meal and nutshell meal, cellulose powders or other solid carriers.

The formulations generally comprise 0.1 to 95% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 90% by weight, of one of the compounds I or II or the mixture of the compounds I and II. The active ingredients are employed in a purity of from 90% to 100%, preferably 95% to 100% (according to NMR or HPLC spectrum).

The compounds I or II, or the mixtures, or the corresponding formulations, are applied by treating the harmful fungi or the plants, seeds, soils, areas, materials or spaces to be kept free from them with a fungicidally active amount of the mixture, or of the compounds I and II in the case of separate application. Application can be effected before or after infection by the harmful fungi.

Examples of the synergistic action of the mixtures according to the invention against harmful fungi.

The fungicidal action of the compounds and of the mixtures was demonstrated by the following experiments:

The active ingredients, separately or together, were formulated as a 10% emulsion in a mixture of 70% by weight of cyclohexanone, 20% by weight of Nekanil® LN (Lutensole® AP6, wetting agent having emulsifying and dispersing action, based on ethoxylated alkylphenols) and 10% by weight of Emulphor® EL (Emulan® EL, emulsifier based on ethoxylated fatty alcohols) and diluted with water to give the desired concentration.

Evaluation was carried out after determining the infected leaf areas in percent. These percentages were converted into degrees of action. The expected degrees of action of the mixtures of the active ingredients were determined using Colby's formula [R. S. Colby, Weeds 15, 20-22 (1967)] and compared with the observed degrees of action.

Colby's formula:

    E=x+y-x·y/100

E expected degree of action, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using the mixture of the active ingredients A and B at the concentrations a and b

x degree of action, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using active ingredient A at a concentration of a

y degree of action, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using active ingredient B at a concentration of b

A degree of action of 0 means that the infection level of the treated plants corresponds to that of the untreated control plants; a degree of action of 100 means that the treated plants were not infected.

Activity Against Puccinia recondita (leaf rust of wheat)

Leaves of wheat seedlings (cultivar "Kanzler") were dusted with spores of leaf rust (Puccinia recondita). The treated plants were indubated for 24 hours at 20-22° C. and a relative atmospheric humidity of 90-95% and subsequently treated with the aqueous preparation of active ingredient. After a further 8 days at 20-22° C. and a relative atmospheric humidity of 65-70%, the extent of fungal development was determined. The test was evaluated visually.

The test results are compiled in the tables which follow:

Aktivity of the active ingredients when applied separately:

    ______________________________________                                                      Rate of Application                                                                         Degree of Action                                     Active Ingredient                                                                           [ppm]        [%]                                                  ______________________________________                                         I.1 (R = H)  16           10                                                                4            10                                                                1            0                                                    I.2 (R = F)  4            0                                                                 1            0                                                    II.a         16           0                                                    II.b         16           10                                                                4            10                                                                1            0                                                    II.c         1            0                                                    untreated control                                                              /-           0                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

Activity of the synergistc mixtures according to the invention:

    ______________________________________                                         Synergistic Mixture                                                            Active               Degree of Action                                          Ingredients                                                                               ppm     Ratio     Observed                                                                              Calculated                                 ______________________________________                                         I.1 + II.a 16 + 16 1/1       90     10                                         I.1 + II.b 16 + 16 1/1       80     19                                                    4 + 4   1/1       95     19                                         I.1 + II.c 1 + 1   1/1       98     0                                          I.2 + II.b 4 + 4   1/1       90     10                                                    1 + 1   1/1       98     0                                          I.2 + II.c 1 + 1   1/1       97     0                                          ______________________________________                                    

Activity Against Erysiphe graminis var. tritici (powdery mildew of wheat)

Leaves of wheat seedlings (cultivar "Fruhgold") were first treated with the aqueous preparation of the active ingredients. After approximately 24 hours, the plants were dusted with spores of powdery mildew of wheat (Erysiphe graminis var. tritici). The treated plants were subsequently incubated for 7 days at 20-22° C. and a relative atmospheric humidity of 75-80%. The extent of fungal development was then determined.

Activity of the active ingredients when applied separately:

    ______________________________________                                                      Rate of Application                                                                         Degree of Action                                     Active Ingredient                                                                           [ppm]        [%]                                                  ______________________________________                                         I.1 (R = H)  1            4                                                    I.2 (R = F)  1            89                                                   II.c         1            4                                                    untreated control                                                              /-           0                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

Activity of the synergistc mixtures according to the invention:

    ______________________________________                                         Synergistic Mixture                                                            Active               Degree of Action                                          Ingredients                                                                               ppm     Ratio     Observed                                                                              Calculated                                 ______________________________________                                         I.1 + II.c 1 + 1   1/1       100    9                                          I.2 + II.c 1 + 1   1/1       98     90                                         ______________________________________                                     

We claim:
 1. A fungicidal composition comprisinga) an oxime ether carboxamide compound of the formula I ##STR9## where R is hydrogen or halogen, and ##STR10## in a synergistically active amount.
 2. The fungicidal composition defined in claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the compound of the formula I to the compound IIc is 10:1 to 0.1:1.
 3. The fungicidal composition defined in claim 1, wherein R is hydrogen or fluorine.
 4. The fungicidal composition defined in claim 2, wherein R is hydrogen or fluorine.
 5. A method of controlling harmful fungi, which comprises treating the harmful fungi, their environment, or the plants, seeds, soils, areas, materials or spaces to be kept free from said fungi with a synergistically effective amount of a compound of the formula I as defined in claim 1 and a compound IIc as defined in claim
 1. 6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the compound of the formula I and the compound IIc are applied simultaneously or separately, or in succession.
 7. The method defined in claim 5, wherein from 0.005 to 0.5 kg/ha of the compound of the formula I is applied.
 8. The method defined in claim 5, wherein from 0.01 to 0.5 kg/ha of the compound IIc is applied.
 9. The method defined in claim 5, wherein R is hydrogen or fluorine.
 10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein R is hydrogen or fluorine. 